Verticillium sp

Mitosporic fungus. Hyphomycetes. Teleomorph (sexual state): Nectria, others.

Verticillium species are common and are most closely related to Acremonium, and Tritirachium. Former names include Acrostalagmus and Diheterospora. Verticillium is a major plant pathogen and is also parasitic on other fungi and insects. It is normally considered to be nonpathogenic in humans. A few cases of keratitis have been reported but remain questionable. Allergenicity has not been well studied. Verticillium produces an antifungal compound vergosin and an antitumor antibiotic, as well as a wide variety of additional compounds used by various industries. Very little other information is available regarding inhalation health effects or toxicity to humans. May be identified on surfaces by tape lifts, tease mounts from bulk samples, and in air by culturable (Andersen) samples. (Spores do not have distinctive morphology and would be categorized as "other colorless" on spore trap samples.) Widespread in decaying vegetation and in the soil.